The Salvation Army provides a wide range of benefits to society's addicts, homeless, and destitute.
The needy can get a home-cooked meal with a Christian worship service, a shower, a clean bed, or substance abuse and employment counseling in the Army's shelters.
There are also special Army programs, such as the Door of Hope, which offers maternity care, scholarship, and drug and child abuse prevention programs.
The Army prepares special Christmas and Thanksgiving meals and runs Adopt-A-Family programs at Christmastime, making food baskets, clothing, and toys for needy families.
After natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, the Salvation Army can be found handing out bottled water, blankets, and cots.
Proceeds from its thrift stores fund drug and alcohol rehabilitation services.
It gives hotel vouchers to homeless parents with children, the mentally or physically ill, or the frail elderly.
It has been providing recreation for inner-city youths in its two summer camps in Calabasas, CA for 50 years.
The Army provides support through cooperation with many other organizations.
For example, in London, Salvation Army workers provide apartments to enable needy hostel residents to move into long-term accommodations.
In concert with Los Angeles County, the Army runs a homeless shelter in a National Guard armory, providing beds, meals, and personal hygiene items.
It cooperates with the Boy Scouts by providing food donated to its pantries to feed the hungry.
It supports the California Optometric Association by processing applications for the uninsured working poor for free eye exams, glasses, and surgical care.
